Potato Pave
There’s a good thing about good things coming to those who wait. In this case waiting also means working. Potato Pave or the misleadingly named, 1,000 layer potatoes,
Writing a report no one cares about.
is worth it.
There’s a lot of prep. Even with a mandolin or in my case a potato guillotine. Slicing six peeled Russet potatoes on the thinnest setting wasn’t the issue. Soaking them, I opted for water but more traditional recipes call for cream with garlic and thyme, isn’t the issue. Laying out the thin potato slices and then blotting them dry isn’t fun. Layering them in a loaf pan and brushing clarified butter on the layers is time consuming. The 90 minutes in the oven at 350 isn’t bad.
Taking them out and pressing them down is a piece of cake and putting weights on them is too easy. Then it all goes in the refrigerator overnight.
Getting the block of deliciously buttery potato goodness out of the pan takes a bit of effort. I used at different times, a kitchen torch, a pairing knife and three pound sledge hammer. Yes, it’s an essential kitchen tool. Don’t judge me.
Trimming the sides and ends also easy. Shallow pan frying was tough on the patience.
No, the hardest part was trying not to burn my mouth because I couldn’t wait for them to cool once fried golden brown. Give it a shot. You’ll see.